Preliminary track forming sander for bowling alleys



G. PAROVEL July 22, 1952 PRELIMINARY TRACK FORMING SANDER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed March 19, 1951 lilvsm'on Giovanni Biz-oval p'rfoniasvs y 22, 1952 PAROVEL 2,603,918

PRELIMINARY TRACK FORMING SANDER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Filed March 19, 1951 2 SHEETSSHE ET 2 INVENTOR 3 Giovanni Parouel n i IL m I'll 1A1) ATTORNEYS Patented July 22, 1952 aeoasisv 1 PRELIMINARY. TRACK FORMING- SANDER FOR BOWLING .ALLEYS Giovanni Parovel, Sacramento, j' I Application March 19, 195iseria1 o. 216.391 1 f .This invention relates generally to sanding machines for bowling alleys; it being requisite that the floor of bowling alleys be recurrently sanded to maintain them perfectly smooth and level.

The finish sanding operation involves the use of a full width sanding machine such as shown in my copending application, Serial No. 216,390, filed March 19, 1951, the machine traveling lengthwise of the alley on transversely spaced wheels which ride paths or track along opposite side edges of the bowling alley floor.

.In, order to avoid the necessity of repeatedly leveling the finish sanding machine, it is a major object of this invention to providea preliminary sander, of novel construction and function, operative to sand said paths or tracks-along opposite side edges of the bowling alley floor whereby to level the same lengthwise for subsequent tracking thereon of the wheels of said finish sanding machine. The latter, traveling on the preleveled tracks, thus does not require repeated longitudinal leveling adjustment.

Another important, object of the invention is to providea preliminary sander, as above, which embodies the novel combination of an initially separate elongated, portable base track, and a sanding carriage slidably but removably supported thereon; the base track and carriage, being separable, facilitating station to station manipulation of said base track as required in use of the machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a sanding machine constructed to permit of ready and convenient replacement of the .expendible sanding paper with which the sander drumisfaced. 1

An additional object of the invention is to provide a sanding machine which is compact and sufficiently light in weight that it may be readily ,moved along thealley as the preliminary sanding operations progress.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a sanding machine which is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a practical and reliable sanding machine, and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and. relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claims.

In-the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the sanding machine, with the hood'shown in'section to more clearly reveal the general construction.

Fig.2 is a cross sectional elevation taken at the center of the sanding drum looking toward the adjustment means for the drum.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the detached track V v Fig. 4 is' an end view o'fthe track detached. with-a portion brokenawa'y to reveal the adjustment-screwmeans. r e

Fig. 5 isa fragmentary section of one holddown lip on themovable carriage.

Referring now moreparticularly to the characters of reference 'on the drawings, the track forming sander for bowling alleys consists of two initially separate units, one being an elongated portable base track, indicate'd'g'enerally at I, of rigid construction, and the other being a sandingcarriage, indicated generally at'2.

The elongated base track I consists of side rails 3, with laterally inwardly projecting top flanges '6, and theside rails 3 are connected, atthe' ends, by cross ties The top surfaces 6 of the flanges 4 have a straight, accurately machined finish, and thereby provide a' way upon which the bottom surface l ofjthefrelatively short sanding carriages 2 mayslidewith level or straight line travel; said carriager'iding on-the base track I when the machine is in use. V l I The sanding carriage 2 consists of a cast, longitudinal frame 8 which i'ncludes'side webs 9 and opposite end cross members In and II, front and rear, respectively, which connect between said webs.

An electric motor I2 is mounted on the fr-am 8 of the sanding carriage 2 adjacent the rear end of the latter, and such motor drives a reduction gear box l3 whose output shaft is fitted with a pulley i4; the're'being an endless belt l5 trained atone end about the pulley l4 and at the'other end. driving 'asanding drum [6 by means o'f'an endpulley ll. The sanding drum l6, which is relatively nar row, carries on its periphery a removable sandingbelt l8; such-drum being mounted on a cross shaft- '19, and on which shaft the pulley I l is fixed.

The shaft [9 rides, immediately beyond opposite ends ofth'e sanding drum 16, in bearing blocks 20 slidable in vertical slots 2l formed in the sides'or webs 9 of the frame 8. y

The bearing blocks are engaged in yielding relation from below by compression springs 22; sueh springsbeing capable of supporting the weight of the sanding drum'ls', bearing'blocks 20,

and the associated parts.

Exact vertical positioning or adjustment of the bearing blocks 20, and consequently the sanding drum I6, is maintained by plungers 23 holding down against the tops of said bearing blocks 20; such plungers depending in pivotal relation from corresponding arms 24 which radiate from a cross shaft 24a. The arms 24 are adjusted vertically by an adjustment screw 25 which bears against a dog 2B which upstands from the cross shaft 24a; thescrewbeing threaded through the end cross member I 0. Thus, by the simple adjustment of the single screw 25 the working position of the sanding drum I6 is accuratelyand/effec-v tively set.

The bearing blocks 20 have inner flanges '21' which bear against the center hubLZB-of-Lthesand-I ing drum 16, thereby serving-toimaintain said drum in centered alinement in the frame 8, i. e. centrally between the webs 9; the drum heingzof. a diameter such that it-ijprojects some distance belowathebottom of the-framed}. Y

A hood H, 'whichsrnaybe-.-.swung, clear, nor.- mally covers i-th JSanding drum l6 and adjacent parts; said drum, when-swung clear, exposing the sanding drum for easychange of.-thessar dingpaper or sleeveon said: drum.

When the machine is in use, the elongated, portable basetrack I is locatedlengthwise on=the floor of the; bowling alley immediately adjacent one gutter 29 thereof; such locatingbeingfacilitated by sets of spring-advanced plungers, 30 mounted in thertraoktl along- -the-sides thereof, oneset .idepending into the gutter; andgbearing against the-side edge of the bowling alley floor; thalatterbeing; indicated at 31. the plungers ail -arespring-advanced, the set which rests, on the bowling alley floor 3-1;, as setat, 32. automatically retracts and does-,not interfere with the aforesaid'positloning of the base, track L The base track I is-leveled by verticaladjusting screws 33' whichextend through the cross ties-Bathere being, aspirit level 34 set lengthwise inthe base track 1- intermediate its ends whereby to indicate when said base track islevel.

Thus, during operation ofthe machine, the sanding carriage-2 slides onthe topsurface 6 of =flanges-4 in a perfectly-level path, and so that the sanding drum l6 -which-ex-tends to the bowling alley floor 3| will: sand a; smooth pathway alongthe latter for the length; of travel. ofi said sanding carriagel along; the base trackv .l :Such pathwayor track. willbe perfectly level due to hereinbefore described leveling .of the base track I, and the level sliding of the sanding-scar, riaggeg2 thereon.

When the sanding operationis completed in a first-position, the machine movedtoa second position along; theglength i-ofthe bowling alley, with the:- base track .1 partially overlapping its previous position; thepbase -track l then again being adjusted level, and a continuing pathway or track is sanded on the same level-as, before. This operation. is; repeated until the length of the-bowling alleythasbeen traversed. anda continuous; pathway 1 or track sanded: level; near the edgeofthe'jbowling alley floor 31;. The base track 'I is then shifted to theother side ofthe alley:andthe 'operationsgare repeated.

Aftercontinuous level pathways: or tracks have been sanded by the-machine along oppositasides of-:the bowling alley floor 31 immediately adjaoentther-gutters 29-, the-alley floor is'san'ded; by the full-"width finishsanding; machine -as;:shown in tires-aforesaidcopendin application. By-reason of the fact that thegfinish-rsandinsemachine 4 has wheels which run on the pre-leveled continuous pathways or tracks, it is unnecessary that repeated longitudinal leveling adjustment of such machine be made.

The sanding carriage 2 is maintained in guided relation on the base track I by means of depending flanges 35 on the frame 8 riding against the inner edges of the flanges 4. Additionally, holddown lips-3B "are'providedat the leading end of binationituming and locking unit 31 connected to each lip.

The sanding carriage 2 is moved along the base track I by means of a conventional form of handle 38 which projects upwardly from the rear endofsaidflange.

Thisdinvention provides .a verypractical, sreli able, and useful machine for the preliminary sanding of level, straight-line pathways or tracks along opposite sides of a bowling alley floor .pre

, .paratory to a finish sanding machine working along, thealley with wheels. which travel said tracks-p f 7 From' theforegoing description it, will be readily seen that there has been producedsuoh a device. as substantially fulfills the objectsof the invention, as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail thepresent and preferred construction of, the device,.still in practice such deviations fromjsuch detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, thefollowing is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. A sanding machine, operative. to level a trackway along an outer edge portion of a bowling alley floor, comprising asingle rigid elongated base track adapted to rest lengthwise on said outer edge portion of the bowling alley floor, said base track being longitudinally straight on top, means on the base track to level the same, av carriage supported on and movable along the base track on top thereof, a sanding drum journal'ed on the carriage in position depending for sand: ing engagement with said floor onlyiadjagentlthe track and said outer edge portion of the floor, and power means on the carriage driving the sanding drum.

2. A sanding machine, operative to level a trackway along an outer edge portion of a bowling, alley floor, comprising a singlerigid elongated base track unit adapted to rest lengthwise on said. outer edge portion of the bowling alley floor, said. base track unit having transversely spaced longitudinal waysv thereonandbeing open top totbottom betweensaid-waysfora major portion. o'flits. length, means on the basetr'ack unit to level the same, a carriage supported on and movable along said ways, asanding drum journaled. on the carriage inpesition depending, be:- tween said ways. for sanding engagement with said floor, and-power means on-the.carriage driving. the sanding drum.

3. A-sanding machine, as in claim 2, in which the sanding drum is relatively narrow.

4. A sanding machine, operative to level a trackway along an outer edgeportion ofabowling alley floor, comprising anelongated base track adapted to rest lengthwise on said outer edge portion of the bowling alley floor, said base track being initially separate, portableand having relatively close transversely spaced longitudinal ways thereon, the base track being open top to bottom between said ways for a major portion of its length, a vertically separate carriage removably supported on and movable along said ways, a sanding drum journaled on the carriage in position depending between said ways for sanding engagement with said floor, and power means on the carriage driving the sanding drum.

5. A sanding machine, operative to level a trackway along an outer edge portion of a bowling alley floor, comprising an elongated base track adapted to rest lengthwise on said outer edge portion of the bowling alley floor, said base track being initially separate, portable, and having transversely spaced longitudinal ways thereon, the base track being open top to bottom between said ways for a major portion of its length, a vertically separate carriage removably supported on and movable along said ways, a sanding drum journaled on the carriage in position depending between said Ways for sanding engagement with said floor, and power means on the carriage driving the sanding drum; the carriage including spaced sides having transversely alined vertical slots therein, bearing blocks slidable vertically in the slots, the sanding drum having a center shaft journaled in said bearing blocks, and means to vertically adjust the bearing blocks in unison. I

6. A sanding machine, as in claim 5, in which said last named means comprises compression springs engaging the bearing blocks from below, plungers engaging the bearing blocks from above, a cross shaft on the carriage, radial arms on the cross shaft pivoted to the plungers, a dog projecting from the cross shaft, and an adjustment screw threaded in connection with the carriage and abutting said dog.

7. A sanding machine, operative to level a on, the base track being open top to bottom between said ways for a major portion of its length,

a carriage supported on and movable along said ways, a sanding drum on the carriage depending between the Ways for fioor engagement therebetween, and locating elements depending from the base track adjacent one edge adapted to project into the gutter of the bowling alley in side engagement with the floor.

8. A sanding machine, as in claim 7, in which said locating elements are spring pressed plungers; there being a longitudinal set of such elements along the other edge of the base track.

9. A sanding machine to level a trackway on a bowling alley floor immediately adjacent and lengthwise of a gutter of the alley, said machine comprising a rigid elongated track unit adapted to rest on the alley floor, means to locate the unit immediately adjacent and lengthwise of the gutter, said unit including a pair of transversely separated rigid ways and means connecting said ways at their ends only, a carriage supported on and movable along the ways, and a sanding drum mounted on the carriage and depending between the ways for floor engagement.

' GIOVANNI PAROVEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,051,467 Uppercue Jan. 28, 1913 2,206,671 Muzzo July 2, 1940 2,290,596 Kirchner July 21, 1942 2,291,058 Pohl July 28, 1942 

